ARS NOVA

                                                               ARS NOVA
Symphonic Prog 
Japan

This female keyboard trio started in the next line-up: Keiko Kumagai (keyboards), Kyoko Kanazawa (bass) and Akiko Takahashi (drums). In '92 ARS NOVA released their promising debut-album "Fear & Anxiety", a tribute to ELP with floods of powerful Hammond organ and flashing synthesizer solos, supported by a strong and adventurous rhythm-section. After several album and changes in the line-up, ARS NOVA is still going strong and end 2003 the trio released their new CD entitled "Biogenesis Project": it's loaded with spectacular instrumental prog rock in the vein of ELP, UK and TRACE. The current ARS NOVA includes Keiko Kumagai (keyboards), Akiko Takahashi (drums, voice) and Mika (vocal and chorus).

My favorite ARS NOVA CD is "The Goddess of Darkness": captivating compositions with lots of spectacular keyboardplay (Hammond organ, Mellotron and synthesizers) and a splendid, very propulsive rhythm-section. In my opinion ARS NOVA has reached their pinnacle with this album, other albums also contain great material but sound less mature, they fail to generate the same excitement. At some moments I think "I've heard this before" and then my attention fades away. Nonetheless, all ARS NOVA albums reach a decent level and always contain good keyboardplay to enjoy. The last album "Biogenesis Project" (a SF-concept) is literally another story: it's a project with a lot of known progrock guest musicians like members from GOBLIN, PFM and IL BALLETTO DI BRONZO, the rhythm-section from GERARD, singer Alex Brunori (ex-LEVIATHAN) and Arjen LUCASSEN (mastermind of Dutch AYREON project and a possible inspirator to this story). They all give this album an extra dimension (great violinplay, good vocals and biting and howling guitarplay) and lift it above the level of the last ARS NOVA albums. I'm stunned by the magnificent keyboardplay and the exciting instrumental interludes. Fresh Blood was needed the result is there!

 























ALBUMS:

1992 - FEAR & ANXIETY

Musicians

- Keiko Kumagai / all compositions & keyboards
- Kyoko Kanazawa / bass
- Akiko Takahashi / drums 

Tracks Listing

1. Dark Clouds
2. [dgiha:d]
3. House of Ben
4. Prominence
5. Fata Morgana part 1
6. Fata Magana part 2

Total Time: 31:35

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1996 - THE GODDESS OF DARKNESS 

Musicians

- Keiko Kumagai / all compositions, keyboards
- Kyoko Kanazawa / bass
- Akiko Takahashi / drums



Tracks Listing

Tracks on Made in Japan MJC-1014 (1996) CD:
1. Morgan - The Fate Awaits Inevitable (11:41)
2. Fury - The Daughter And The Simoom After The Simoom (4:25)
3. The Gorgons - Never Look At Her Eyes (10:31)
4. Ainsel - A Mad Little Girl (5:23)
5. Kali - In The Name Of Demolition And Massacre (9:34)


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1998 - THE BOOK OF THE DEAD (AKA REU NU PERT EM HRU)









Musicians

- Keiko Kumagai / keyboards
- Akiko Takahasho / drums
- Ken Ishita / bass


Tracks Listing

1. Prologue: Re (1:35)
2. Ankh (5:11)
3. Interlude 1: Nut (1:11)
4. The 42 Gods (5:15)
5. Interlude 2: Anubis (0:40)
6. Held Of Iaru (10:43)
7. Interlude 3: Sekhem (1:03)
8. The Judgement Of Osiris (7:41)
9. Interlude 4: Nephthys (0:33)
10. Ani's Heart and Maat's Feather (9:20)
11. Epilogue: Hapi (1:01)

Total Time: 44:13


Tracks on ''Reu nu pert em hru'' (Japan):
1. Prologue: Re (1:35)
2. Ankh (5:11)
3*. Interlude: Horus (1:31)
4. The 42 Gods (5:15)
5. Interlude: Anubis (0:40)
6. Held of Iaru (10:43)
7*. Interlude: Thoth (1:27)
8. The Judgement of Osiris (7:42)
9*. Interlude: Shu (0:44)
10. Ani's Heart and Maat's Feather (9:20)
11. Epilogue: Hapi (1:01)


Total Time 45:09

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2001 - ANDROID DOMINA 


Musicians

- Keiko Kumagai / hammond, synthesizers, programming
- Mika Nakajima / voices, synthesizers, piano, organs
- Akiko Takahashi / drums, percussion

WITH:
- Ken Ishita / bass on 3
- Noboru Nakajima / bass on 6
- Numero Ueno / voice on 4
- Reina / voice on 4


Tracks Listing

1. Android Domina (10:57)
2. All Hallow's Eve (7:56)
3. Horla Rising (9:29)
4. Mother (7:56)
5. Succubus (5:36)
6. Bizarro Ballo In Maschera (9:24)

Total Time: 51:18

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2001 - LACRIMARIA


Musicians

- Keiko Kumagai / synthesizers, organ, computer programming
- Mika Nakajima / vocals, synthesizers
- Akiko Takahashi / drums

Other musicians:
- Kyoko Kamasawa / bass
- Reina / vocals
- Numero Uno / vocals


Boxset/Compilation, released in 2001

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Lacrimaria (1:33)
2. Resurgence of Fata Morgana (10:14)
3. Isis (4:41)
4. Mother (7:56)
5. Ainsel (5:24)
6. Pairi-Daeza (10:11)

Total Time: 39:59

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2003 - BIOGENESIS PROJECT

Musicians

- Keiko Kumagai / synthesizers, organ, computer programming
- Mika Nakajima / vvocals, synthesizers
- Akiko Takahashi / drums

Guests:
- Arjen Lucassen / guitars
- Lucio Fabbri / violin
- Claudio Simonetti / keyboards
- Gianni Leone / vocals
- Atsushi Hasegawa /bass
- Masuhiro Goto / drums





Tracks Listing

1. Introduction (6:01)
- Biogenesis - Melt Down
2. Escape (8:17)
3. Mother Earth (2:27)
4. Metamorphosis (6:17)
5. Humanoid's Breakfast (3:12)
6. Against The Meteors (3:27)
7. Trust To the Future (15:21)

Total time 45:02

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